Opportunities – Fellowship

VA – TDI Fellowship in Outcomes Research

A Joint program of the White River Junction Outcomes Group, Quality Scholars, and The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (TDI).

The Outcomes Group is a creative health services research group in Vermont who seek to question fundamental assumptions about medical care. We work to address overmedicalization — and the exaggerated health messages that promote it. This is an exceptional fellowship opportunity for physicians who would like to become part of a small supportive research group | download PDF of overview

Goals

The program provides the opportunity to obtain two fundamental prerequisites for successful research careers:

Research skills. Fellows learn the basic skills required to evaluate the effectiveness and quality of health care – skills that are best obtained through course work and collaboration with established investigators.

Personal motivation. Fellows are also provided the opportunity to explore broadly the issues and challenges facing health care today, in order to discover an area of sufficient personal interest to motivate a professional career.

Curriculum

During the first year, fellows generally enroll in the TDI Master of Science or Master of Public Health Program. It includes coursework in biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy, clinical decision-making, survey research and quality improvement. Fellows design a research project and carry it out under the direction of faculty.

During the second year, fellows focus on research and the completion of one or more independent projects. They also serve as teaching assistants for one course in the Masters program and are advised on how to seek and obtain an academic appointment. A third year of support can sometimes be provided.

Throughout the two years, fellows participate in the weekly Outcomes Group Seminar, where fellows and faculty present and discuss their own research as it unfolds. To allow sufficient time for research, clinical responsibilities are intentionally limited (< 20%) and vary according to the specialty and interest of the fellow.

Since 1995, 29 fellows have participated in the VA Outcomes fellowship. More than half of them have chosen a career in Research and Academic Medicine. Nearly all of them published their fellowship research. Click on the link below for a list of physicians who have participated in the VA/TDI Outcomes Fellowship | list of prior fellows

Physicians trained in surgery, gynecology, psychiatry, radiology, pathology, dermatology, family practice or internal medicine (including subspecialties) are welcome to apply. They must be willing and able to provide clinical services within a VA health care system (board certified with a full medical license), agree to serve as teaching assistants during their second year, and must commit to the minimum of two years required for the fellowship. Fellows receive a stipend ($50,000 – $65,000, based on prior training) and receive a waiver of tuition for the Masters program. If physicians don’t want to spend two years in the fellowship, but are still interested in the TDI Masters degree, they should apply for the Masters degree only. In this case, there will be no stipend provided.

Application Process

Physicians interested in the program should email Cory Gaudette or Dr. Louise Davies for more information. Application to the fellowship requires a copy of the candidate’s CV and a personal statement. These should be sent to Cory Gaudette.

If the application receives a favorable review, candidates will be asked to schedule an interview in Hanover/White River Junction. Two positions are available each year and are accepted on a rolling basis, although we strongly encourage fellows to have their applications in by December of the preceding year. New fellows begin work July 1.